Simplified procedures for shipments of metals scrap to India have been accepted, BIR was informed by the Metal Recycling Association in India (MRAI) and BIR’s ambassador for the Indian subcontinent, Ikbal Nathani. This agreement was reached following MRAI’s recent meetings in Delhi with the Ministry of Steel and the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

1)MOEF has simplified the registration procedure by importers with the Indian State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), i.e:

i)New registration form requires only basic details such as name of the company, address, import/export code ect.

ii)Registration with one State Pollution Control Board allows for all India imports (no need to register with every SPCB) but traders need to register with their respective pollution control boards. It is a one-time registration and once the traders register with their respective SPCB they will be free to import.

iii)No restriction on trader-to-trader sales or High Sea Sales basis.

iv)New simplified form will be issued by MOEF shortly and application to respective SPCB should be made immediately (as of now, deadline is 30th November 2009 but MOEF might extend the same).

v)If containers arrive after November 30 and a trader has not registered with the respective SPCB, he might run into detention and demurrage issues.

2)The Transboundary movement document , i.e “Form 9”, required by the original notification of July 21, 2009, is still needed and must be submitted to the customs at the time of clearance. However, no chemical analysis should be provided and only name and address should be mentioned in the relevant columns.

MRAI also tells to BIR that they are still requesting Indian authorities to amend the original notification classifying Ferrous and Non-Ferrous scrap metals as hazardous.